For those of you in the Austin blogging/general online community, you’ve probably met or at least heard of Cathy from Austin Slave to Fashion. This sassy, social media savvy wonder woman has built an empire around one of the things she loves most in this world: Fashion. Her motto, which I’ve lifted directly from her bio, is as follows: “I think everyone has the right to feel good and look good in what they wear.” I support this philosophy very much!
When Cathy came to me to photograph her true first love, her family, I jumped at the chance. Knowing how much I like Cathy (we’ve bonded over the last year via Twitter, BASHH and Ladies Who Lunch events) I knew her family would be equally amazing and entertaining. I couldn’t wait to spend time and make memories with them!
Believe it or not, six members of this fashionable family (including Cathy’s boyfriend) arrived at Butler Park early on a Saturday morning to make the most of the pretty light. From the get-go I was immediately drawn to their energy. Everyone was so close, and there was no shortage of laughter or poking fun of one another. It made for a very relaxed environment and the perfect vibe for our photo shoot. While it was incredibly windy, everyone was in good spirits and we got to work.
Cathy did an incredible job advising her family members on what to wear for the portraits. The colors, so vibrant and complementary, really brought the pictures to life. We mostly stuck to candids, letting everyone interact and make each other laugh, almost pretending like I wasn’t even there. For the few times we did go for some more “posed” shots (I say that word with hesitation, since I hate posed pictures) did they ever know how to work it!! I’m going to go ahead and say what everyone is going to think anyway… Cathy clearly got her sass, attitude and general awesomeness from her Momma.
One more thing… I was so excited to find a piano from the Play Me I’m Yours project that took place during the month of April. Cathy’s mom knew a few songs, so we got some great shots of everyone gathered around as she played. That was one of my favorite moments of the day.
I’ll leave you with one of my favorite shots from the series. Cathy’s mom and step-dad have been married for many years but you would think they had only been dating a short time based on the way they treat and look at each other. As I took this picture, I heard Cathy’s step-dad quietly say to his wife, “Remember the day we got married?” To me, this says everything.
Thank you, Cathy, for being a good friend and asking me to document your family’s love and friendship. I hope you cherish the photos for years to come.
